This invention relates to a method and apparatus for treating trees and more particularly to a sprayer or cultivator for tilling around the base of a tree, or fertilizing and applying herbicides to the base of a tree or the cultivated area.
Growth of plants for commercial sale and planting around business structures or residential structures is an extremely important business. Appropriate plants around the structures provide for an improved aesthetic appearance while at the same time giving tremendous ecological benefits. Plants form an important and required part of the photosynthesis process. Photosynthesis is an essential procedure in removing pollutants in the atmosphere. The photosynthesis process is known to be important for the production of oxygen, and hence for life.
However, during construction of both business structures and residential structures, it is extremely difficult to preserve existing trees, plant and other foliage, which are needed for the photosynthesis process. Thus, it is necessary after construction to plant new trees in the appropriate spot. The most efficient way to grow the new trees is to start them at nursery or similar area and then transplant them to the construction area.
Many problems exist with the growing of trees in a nursery or similar area. The best tree growth can occur in bare soil, because there is no other vegetation around to compete with the trees for nutrients in the soil. However, with bare soil, a substantial amount of soil erosion takes place. So while the most effective method of preventing the soil erosion is to have grass in the area with the trees, the grass creates another problem.
Grass competes with the trees for soil nutrients and interferes with the tree growth. While grass cuts tree growth, it does prevent erosion and hold moisture in the ground. Also the nutrients and other factors beneficial to the growth of the tree are not washed away.
Thus, it is a problem of preventing soil erosion, while obtaining the greatest growth in the shortest period of time. The solution to one problem creates a problem in another area. In an attempt to overcome the problems, it is possible to cultivate around the trees, while leaving most of the grass intact. This cultivation can be accomplished in one of the most simple manners by a cultivator with rotary tines for digging the ground.
However, such cultivation requires a substantial amount of additional work, after the cultivation has taken place. It is necessary to hoe around each tree by hand to remove the dirt that has been thrown against the tree by the rototiller.
Many types of trees develop shoots at the base of the tree. These shoots interfere with tree growth, and attract undesirable insects and parasites which also interfere with tree growth. The common term for these shoots are suckers. Generally the suckers must be removed by hand which is a very time consuming procedure.
Additionally, it is desired to fertilize and apply herbicide to promote weed control. Clearly the fertilizing promotes growth and the weed control prevents undesirable plants from using nutrients belonging to the tree. These steps, of course, must be accomplished separately and cause a great deal of trouble and consume a great amount of time in properly caring for the trees.
Further complications are caused by the desirability of having fertilizer incorporated into the ground, while having the herbicide applied to the surface of the ground. These complications appear to mandate a separate application of herbicide and fertilizer. Yet application of fertilizer and herbicide in one operation is highly desirable.
Generally, the cultivation, fertilizing, and application of herbicides are three operations. These three operations require a substantial amount of time. Therefore a combination of at least two of these procedures is useful--if for no other reason than to save time.
It is also desirable to have a multiuse implement. If a power source for a device to accomplish the desired goals can be used in more than one fashion, great advantages are achieved. Thus, a substantial amount of capital is not tied up in the machine with only one purpose.
It is clearly desirable to simplify the caring for trees while preventing soil erosion and promoting maximum growth in the shortest possible period of time.